ote 
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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE $45 
~ jeere: attachment I had my felf to her, as one of the mott 
* 
-lovely.and amiable women in the world; fhe was the mo- 
ther of my moft intimate friend Ayto Confu, and the wife of 
Ras Michael, over whom. fhe had ¢very day more and more 
influence, and I had long fufpected that the young king, 
my conftant benefactor, had contracted a decided tender- 
~mefs for her. . To have returned, would have beea nothing 
had the danger or trouble been much greater; but it was 
obviouily impoflible another opportunity fhould offer: the 
country was now on the point of being plunged into a de- 
gree of diforder greater than that which had occafioned 
the retreat of the king to Tigré. I therefore refolved to run 
the rifk of continuing for a time under the imputation of 
the fouleft and .bafeft of all fins, that of ingratitude to 
any benefactors ;-and. Iam confident, had it, been the will 
vf heaven that lL had died in.that journey, the confideration 
of my lying with apparent reafon under that imputation 
would have beem one of the moft. bitter reflections of my 
dait moments. Having, therefore, taken my refolution, I 
acquainted Guebra Mariam thatian immediate return was 
_abfolutely impoffible ; but that I fhould endeavour, with 
the utmoft of my power, to make a f{peedy one; in the 
mean time, I fent word to the Greek prieft (who was a fort 
of phyfician) how he was to proceed in the interim) during 
‘my abfence. 
We had now left Maitfhaby crofling the river Kelti. I 
‘fhall only add, to whatI have already faid, that it is a very 
fruitful country, but fo:flat that the water with difficulty. 
runs off after the tropical rains, and this. occafions its being 
-for feveral months unhealthy. Several tribes of Galla, from 
the fouth of the Nile, were fettled here by Yafous the Great, 
Won. Ui ah . and 
